Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Window on Eurasia: Another Indication a New Russian Attack in Ukraine May Be Imminent

Paul
Goble

Staunton, October 21 – Many in both
Ukraine and the Russian Federation have suggested in recent days that a new and
large-scale Russian military attack in Ukraine may be imminent, but perhaps the
clearest evidence for that has been provided by an unexpected source: Ella
Panfilova, the Russian human rights ombudsman.

In an interview published yesterday
in “Rossiiskaya gazeta,” she warns that Russians should be prepared for a “second
wave” of refugees from various parts of Ukraine in the near future. She suggests
that the reason for this is the approaching winter, but new violence would be
even more likely to provoke such flight (rg.ru/2014/10/20/pamfilova-dz.html).

Panfilova said that many Russians
think that the refugee issue is disappearing given that many of the 800,000 who
came to Russia in the summer have now returned to their homes in Ukraine. But
far from all have, and she suggests they are about to be joined by more and not
just from the Donbas where violence has been ongoing.